Extensible lamp



J. E. NAFE EXTENSIBLE LAMP Dec. 13, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1964 I INVENTOR. JAMES E. NAFE ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1966 J. E. NAFE EXTENSIBLE LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 1964 INVENTOR dA MES E. NAFE ATTORNEY Unite States Patent 3,291,977 EXTENSIBLE LAMP James E. Nafe, 1815 Miami St., South Bend, Ind. Filed Aug. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 388,625 7 Claims. (Cl. 240-73) This invention relates to improvements in extensible lamps.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an extensible lamp of novel, simple and inexpensive construction having a wide range of extension and, at the same time, capable of compact arrangement in out of the way position when not in use.

A further object is to provide an extensible lamp formed of a plurality of similar sections pivotally connected together end to end, and capable of extension to substantial distance from a supporting point without sacrifice of adjustment thereof to selected intermediate extent as compared to maximum extended position and fully contracted position.

A further object is to provide an extensible lamp having a plurality of pivotally connected sections whose pivot axes are parallel and having means for varying at will the angular position of those pivot axes relative to the vertical.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side view of my improved lamp in its compact or retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a side view of my new lamp in extended position, illustrating in dotted lines an alternate arrangement of a reflector unit;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the lamp in an extended position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged axial sectional detail view of one joint construction;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bracket forming a part of the device;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a joint member cooperating with the bracket shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating a modification of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view illustrating the construction shown in FIG. 7 in a different position;

FIG. 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 99 of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4 thereof which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a tubular bracket adapted to be fixed in substantially upright position upon a suitable support 12. The support 12 may be an upright or a standard or a building wall, or an article of furniture, or the like. The bracket 10 preferably constitutes a rigid tubular member of substantially uniform dimension throughout its length which has laterally projecting therefrom at its upper and lower ends flanges or legs 14 which preferably project both laterally and longitudinally and are apertured to receive securing means 16, such as screws, bolts or rivets, for securely anchoring the tubular bracket upon the support 12 in desired orientation, that is, preferably in an orientation in which the axis of the tubular bracket is vertical.

A plurality of tubular sections 20, which preferably are similar in size and shape, are interconnected end to end with one endmost section being pivotally interconnected with the tubular bracket 10. Each of the tubular sections 20 has an intermediate portion 22, a downwardly extending end portion 24, and an upwardly extending end portion 26. The sections 20 are bent into substantially S-shape with the parts 24 and 26 thereof substantially parallel, and with the intermediate portion 22 extending at an acute angle between the end parts 24 and 26. The tubular sections 20 are preferably formed of tube stock of substantially the same diameter as the tubular bracket 10. The downwardly extending end portion 24 of each section has a reduced diameter projection 28, having an outer diameter adapted for a snug slide fit within the inner diameter of the tubular bracket 10 or the inner diameter of the upwardly extending end portion 26 of an adjacent tubular section 20. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the reduced diameter projecting part 28 may constitute a tube fitting Within a downwardly projecting end portion 24 and spot welded or otherwise fixed thereto at 30. The reduced diameter projecting portion 28 will be of a length greater than the diameter of the tubular sections and will cooperate therewith to define a circumferential shoulder 32 which is adapted to bear upon the upper edge of the tubular bracket 10 or of the upwardly extending end portion 26 and the adjacent tube section 20.

A tubular end section 36 is provided with an upwardly extending end part 38 with a reduced dimension elongated extension similar to extension 28 described above adapted for snug rotative fit within the upwardly extending end portion 26 of an adjacent tubular section 20. At its opposite end the tubular end section 36 mounts a socket or adaptor 40 which preferably includes a switch and mounts an electric bulb (not shown) and also mounts a reflector 42. The shape of the tubular end section 36 may be similar to a hook with an inclined intermediate section 44 extending at an acute angle to the end part 38 similar to the acute angle between the parts 22 and 24, and with the part 44 of a length approximately one-half the length of the intermediate section 22 of tubular section 20. The tubular end section 36 of this construction terminates in a vertical downturned part 46 of a length substantially equal to the length of a section 26, so that the reflector 42 will be positioned clear of the tubular sections 20 in all adjustments of the parts, including a collapsed adjustment as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The hook-shape of the tubular end section 36 is not essential, however, and said end section may constitute a simple straight tube which carries a socket or adaptor 40' and an inverted reflector 42' at its upper end, as illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 2.

The tubular parts 10, 20 and 36 and their reduced portions 28 are of a diameter to receive with clearance an elongated insulated flexible electrical conductor 48 having electrical connection at one end with the socket or adaptor 40 and extending through the sections 20, 36 and the bracket 10, projecting from the latter and carrying a con nector 50 at its free end, such as a conventional separable electrical connector well understood in the art.

It will be apparent that the various sections 20 and 36 are readily assembled for pivotal connection with each other and for pivotal connection of the endmost tubular section 20 with the tubular bracket 20 by simply inserting the reduced end parts 28 of downwardly projecting parts 24 and 38 into upwardly projecting parts, such as tubular bracket 10 and upwardly extending portion 26 of tubular sections 20. When the unit is mounted upon a support, the weight of the respective sections holds them assembled and accommodates their relative pivoting with respect to each other between a collapsed position as illustrated in FIG. 1, and an extended position as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the collapsed position of the device the various sections 20, 20' and 36 are positioned side by side, substantially in register as shown in FIG. 1, so that the space occupied thereby will be of a length equal to the length of one of the sections 20 or 20' and will be of narrow width determined by the number of juxtaposed sections. The unit may be swung to any desired position while collapsed as well as while extended. Thus the collapsed unit may extend alongside the wall to which the bracket is supported, with its position being determined by the dimension of the reflector 42, which normally will engage such wall before the unit will assume full parallelism with the wall.

While the arrangement described herein contemplates the projection of a part 28 vfrom the lower end of a downwardly projecting part 24 of each of the sections 20, 20 and 36, it will be apparent that a reduced portion may be formed at the upper end of the upwardly projecting part 26 of each section if a similar reduced diameter part projects upwardly from the upper end of the tubular bracket 10. Likewise, it will be apparent that the reduced portion 28 may be formed integrally with the part from which it projects rather than being formed by the anchorage of a separate tubular member to a member 20, etc.

Means may be provided for adjusting the elevation of the extensible lamp-carrying parts relative to the tubular bracket 10. One such means is illustrated in FIG. 6 and constitutes an elongated tube 52 preferably of substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length and of an outer diameter to fit snugly within the tubular bracket 10. An adjustable member 54 is slidably mounted upon the elongated tube 52 and preferably constitutes a ring encircling said tube. Anchoring means, such as a set screw 56, may be provided to position the abutment member 54 upon the elongated tube 52. The tube 52 will be of such diameter to cooperate with and support rotatively the downwardly projecting end 2428 of the end tubular section 20 in the manner above described. The elongated tube 52 will itself be supported by fitting within the tubular bracket 10 to the desired extent determined by the location of the abutment member 54 which bears against the top edge of the bracket 10.

Another modified embodiment of the invention for varying the elevation of the lamp socket 40 and reflector 42 relative to the tubular bracket 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. This construction utilizes a bracket 10 and an elongated extension tube 52, as previously described. A socket member 60 is pivotally connected at 62 to the upper end of the elongated tube 52. The socket member 60 will preferably be a split clamp having a pair of elongated laterally projecting arms 64 interconnected by securing means 66, such as cooperating screws and nuts adapted to draw together the arms 64 adjacent to the part-cylindrical socket portion 60 for the purpose of clamping and securely mounting the downwardly extending end portion 24 of the end tubular section 20. clamp member 70 encircles the elongated tube 52 spaced below the pivot 62 connecting the socket member 60 with the tube 52. Clamp member 70 may be of any suitable character and preferably includes laterally projecting arms or an arm 72 to which is connected pivotally a link member 74 by any suitable means. Link 74 is pivotally connected to the lateral clamp arm or arms 72 by securing means, such as a screw 76 and a Wing nut or other adjustable securing means 78. The free ends of the lateral arms 64 of socket member 60 and of the link or links 74 are interconnected by a connector link 80 and pivot connector members 82 and 84.

The construction is such that the angular relation of the socket 60 to the elongated tube 52 and to the axis of the tubular bracket 10 may be adjusted by releasing the wing nut 78 to permit swinging of the parts 64, 74 and 80 to desired relation, followed by tightening of the wing nut to anchor those parts in desired position. By this means the axis of the part 24 of the terminal section 20' is tilted. Inasmuch as the end parts 24 and 26 of each of the sections 20 and 20' are parallel, this tilting of the end 24 of the end section 20' will produce similar tilting of each of the parts 24, 26 and 38 at their respective telescopic pivotal interconnections. Thus the elevation of the reflector 42 may be controlled relative to the tubular bracket 10 at will to meet different requirements of use. The range of tilting movement or adjustment will preferably be limited, and deviation of the position of the telescoping pivotally interconnected parts 24, 26 from a true vertical position will be limited, and will not be detrimental to the maintenance of the desired assembled relation of the parts. At the same time, adjustment of the structure to desired length and swinging of the structure in different directions from the supporting bracket is possible. In this connection, it will be seen that swinging action will be compensated by turning of the part 52 within the bracket 10.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An extensible lamp comprising a support including a substantially vertical tubular bracket,

a plurality of rigid tubular intermediate sections,

a tubular rigid end section,

said tubular bracket, tubular intermediate sections and tubular end section being rotatably connected end to end,

said rotatable connections constituting telescopic interfitting substantially vertical relatively rotatable parts having communicating bores and a circumferential shoulder on one part engaging the end of the other part,

said intermediate sections having substantially parallel end and vertical portions and a central inclined portion extending from the top of one end portion to the bottom of other end portion,

an electric socket carried by the free end of said end section, and

an elongated insulated electrical conductor connected to said socket and extending continuously through and concealed by said tubular end and intermediate sections and said bracket and having clearance within said communicating bores of said connection parts.

2. An extensible lamp as defined in claim 1,

wherein said intermediate sections are of substantially similar size and shape to substantially register in collapsed position.

3. An extensible lamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said intermediate sections are of S-shape and each carries at one end thereof a reduced diameter portion having a snug rotative fit in the opposite end of another section and defining said circumferential shoulder.

4. An extensible lamp comprising a support including a substantially vertical open-ended tubular bracket,

a plurality of rigid open-ended tubular intermediate sections, a tubular open-ended rigid end section, said tubular bracket, tubular intermediate sections and tubular end section being rotatably connected end to end, said rotatable connections constituting telescopic interfitting substantially vertical relatively rotatable parts each telescoped part having a shoulder engaging the end of a telescoping part, said intermediate sections having substantially vertical and parallel end portions and a central inclined portion extending diagonally between said end portions,

an electric socket carried by the free end of said end section,

an elongated insulated electrical conductor connected to said socket and extending continuously through said tubular end and intermediate sections and said bracket, and

an elongated tube interposed between and having a telescopic connection with said bracket and one of said intermediate sections, and

an abutment longitudinally adjustable on said last named tube to vertically adjust the portion of said last named tube projecting above said bracket and the elevation of said connected intermediate section.

5. An extensible lamp comprising a support including a substantially vertical tubular bracket,

a plurality of rigid tubular intermediate sections,

a tubular rigid end section,

said tubular bracket, tubular intermediate sections and tubular end section being rotatably connected end to end,

said rotatable connections constituting telescopic interfitting substantially vertical relatively rotatable parts,

said intermediate sections having substantially parallel end portions and a central portion extending at an angle to said end portions,

an electric socket carried by the free end of said end section, and

an elongated insulated electrical conductor connected to said socket and extending through said tubular end and intermediate sections and said bracket, and

means for tilting the connection between said bracket and the adjacent intermediate section,

whereby each of said rotatable connections is tilted and said assembly of intermediate and end sections is inclined when extended.

6. An extensible lamp comprising a support including a substantially vertical tubular bracket,

a plurality of rigid tubular intermediate sections,

a tubular rigid end section,

said tubular bracket, tubular intermediate sections and tubular end section being rotatably connected end to end,

said rotatable connections constituting telescopic in terfitting substantially vertical relatively rotatabl parts,

said intermediate sections having substantially parallel end portions and a central portion extending at an angle to said end portions,

an electric socket carried by the free end of said end sections, and

an elongated insulated electrical conductor connected to said socket and extending through said tubular end and intermediate sections and said bracket,

an elongated tube having a rotatable telescopic connection with said bracket,

a clamp member pivoted to the upper end of said last named tube and supporting one end of an intermediate section and means for locking said clamp in selected angular relation to the axis of said bracket.

7. An extensible lamp comprising a support including a substantially vertical tubular bracket,

a plurality of rigid tubular intermediate sections,

a tubular rigid end section,

said tubular bracket, tubular intermediate sections and tubular end section being rotatably connected end to end,

said rotatable connections constituting telescopic interfitting substantially vertical relatively rotatable parts,

said intermediate sections having substantially parallel and portions and a central portion extending at an angle to said end portions,

an electric socket carried by the free end of said end sections, and

an elongated insulated electrical conductor connected to said socket and extending through said tubular end and intermediate sections and said bracket,

an elongated tube having a rotatable telescopic connection with said bracket,

a clamp member pivoted to the upper end of said last named tube and supporting one end of an intermediate section,

a link projecting laterally from said last named tube and pivoted to swing vertically,

means locking said link in selected position,

arm means projecting laterally from said clamp, and

a link pivotally connected to the free ends of said arm means and said first link.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 999,283 8/1911 White. 1,148,436 7/1915 Blain. 3,104,065 9/1963 Bieber et a1 240-81 X JOHN M. HORAN, Primary Examiner.

NORTON ANSHER, Examiner. CHARLES R. RHODES, Assistant Examiner, 

1. AN EXTENSIBLE LAMP COMPRISING A SUPPORT INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL TUBULAR BRACKET, A PLURALITY OF RIGID TUBULAR INTERMEDIATE SECTIONS, A TUBULAR RIGID END SECTION, SAID TUBULAR BRACKET, TUBULAR INTERMEDIATE SECTIONS AND TUBULAR END SECTION BEING ROTATABLY CONNECTED END TO END, SAID ROTATABLE CONNECTIONS CONSTITUTING TELESCOPIC INTERFITTING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL RELATIVELY ROTATABLE PARTS HAVING COMMUNICATING BORES AND A CIRCUMFERENTIAL SHOULDER ON ONE PART ENGAGING THE END OF THE OTHER PART, SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTIONS HAVIN G SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL END AND VERTICAL PORTIONS AND A CENTRAL INCLINDED PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE TOP OF ONE END PORTION TO THE BOTTOM OF OTHER END PORTION, 